Remove From Your Mind

10 Ways to Remove Negative Thoughts From Your Mind

It isn’t that you have a mind full of over-eager negative thoughts. Our mind is always on red alert to speak with a negative voice. Next time you will be prepared. Check out these 10 go-to strategies to send negative thoughts on their merry way.

1. Read it out

There has been a trend for celebrities to read their negative social media tweets out loud, and when you see that you realize how absurd and ridiculous they truly are. Try it out with the negative voice inside your head. Call up a friend, share your negative thoughts with them, and then laugh at how ridiculous the mind can be.

2. Tell a joke or funny story

Laughter always moves you to a better mindset. Smile, tell a joke, or remember a funny story. Laughing at yourself can never be a bad thing either!

3. Speak back

The negative thought likes to be in charge. When it wants to take over, do what I do – mentally say to it: “Thanks for sharing,” and get on with your day. There is no point fighting with it as it will get louder. Just speak back to it and move on!

4. Breathe

Calm your thoughts by taking three deep breaths. Stop what you are doing, get your feet connected with the ground, and breathe deeply. Don’t rush them, breath in and out, and plan your next move.

5. Set a time-limit

Hanging out with your negative thoughts won’t make them go away. Tell yourself that you will allow those thoughts for no more than one minute and then they are no longer welcome. For added incentive, set a timer on your smartphone. Once it goes off don’t allow any negative thoughts back in.

6. Work out

Exercise will alleviate your mood and the recent surge in group fitness mind/body classes highlights that. Smart workout enthusiasts have been doing this for years by taking the revolutionary mind body workout, intenSati, where you train your mind to speak positive thoughts and use the intentions from class in your everyday life. One favorite statement used out loud in class goes like this, “All negative thoughts stop right now!”

7. Change your environment

A change of scenery, even walking out of the room you are in, can move the mind to new thought patterns. Stand up and walk away from the situation and find something new to focus on. You may look at folding the laundry in a whole new, and more positive light.

8. Write it down

Get those thoughts out of your head. Set a timer for 5 to 10 minutes and write down all your worries. Once you have done this, crumple up the piece of paper, rip it up, and throw out that list. Get it off your chest and move on.

9. Design a go-to statement

Prepare yourself with a positive statement to say to yourself when a negative thought appears. For example, “Yes I can, I can do it, I am in the process of figuring it out.” Find one that speaks to you and have it on hand to ward off the negative voice.

10. Use a go-to mannerism

Have fun with this one. When a negative thought appears, have a reaction with a fun or silly action. Poke your tongue out, slap your wrist, or just smile. Find a bodily response that will get you out of your head and focus back to the present.

There you have it – ten ways to make negative thoughts leave your mind. I hope you can put some of these into your daily practice. The mind might be a powerful thing but it isn’t always worth listening to!